BELLEVUE, Washington – At the age of 16, Maddy Brockert was forced to face the harsh reality of how unforgiving and unrelenting domestic violence is. Maddy was living in fear for her mother, who was with a verbally abusive man who continuously berated her. Maddy’s mother stood by him, but eventually, he killed her. “My mom was dead. I would never see her again. I would never hear her tell me she loved me or promise me that everything would be okay. My world was forever changed.”
Maddy had to accept that it was too late to help her mom, but she saw that she could help others by telling her story. She has made it her mission to speak out and do all she can to prevent it from happening to someone else.
“It’s true,” says Maddy Brockert. “I am a survivor of domestic violence. At 16 years old, I turned to LifeWire to learn all there was about domestic violence. I know that prevention is the key to keeping our community safe from violence. We have to speak out to educate our community. I’m asking you to join me.”
According to the Centers of Disease Control and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men report experiencing severe violence from their partners in their lifetimes. Intimate Partner Violence – What Is It and What Does It Look Like? | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA
In 2020, domestic violence crimes comprised 49.7% of all crimes that occurred against a person in Washington state. Washington State Domestic Violence Statistics (treyzlaw.com)
Domestic violence is one of the primary causes of homelessness for women and their children in the United States. Transitional Housing Programs and Empowering Survivors of Domestic Violence | OVW | Department of Justice
Maddy will speak on May 25, 2023, at LifeWire’s Hope Starts Here Lunch, the organization’s annual fundraiser at Meydenbauer Center, 11100 NE 6th Street in Bellevue, Washington. KOMO 4 News Anchor Ryan Simms is serving as Emcee. 100% of the funds raised will provide life-saving programs and supportive services for survivors in need. This is your opportunity to meet LifeWire’s Leadership Team and learn about the amazing work that LifeWire is doing in the community.
The program will include the presentation of LifeWire’s Community Partner of the Year Award to Beacon Development Group. LifeWire completed a Capital Campaign in 2022 and purchased a 25-unit apartment complex. Beacon Development Group has been a strong partner for LifeWire throughout the remodel of the Hope Starts Here apartments and construction of a new Services Building. This project will provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, and comprehensive on-site services for domestic violence survivors facing the greatest safety risks and highest barriers to safe housing in our community. Thanks to this team, LifeWire will be able to help more survivors and children year after year find safety and stability and begin healing from the devastating effects of abuse. Together we are making our community a better place—one where every person lives in a safe environment and has the opportunity to thrive. To register for the Hope Starts Here Lunch, please visit www.lifewire.org. A suggested donation of $150 is encouraged, and all proceeds will benefit LifeWire programs and services. For more information about the event and to register, please visit www.lifewire.org or contact Sukai Gaye, LifeWire’s Communications and Events Manager, at sukaig@lifewire.org or call 425-229-5305.